Ventura Docket Search

Court docket records in Ventura County are available through the Superior Court online portal and at courthouse locations throughout the county. The main courthouse sits at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura. You can search for case dockets online using the Tyler Technologies eCourt system. This portal covers civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases. Searches by case number are free. Name searches and document downloads may have fees. Over 840,000 people live in Ventura County. The court processes thousands of new cases each year across multiple courthouse locations including Ventura, Oxnard, and Thousand Oaks facilities.

Ventura County Docket Portal

You can search court dockets online at ventura.ecourt.com/public-portal/. This portal runs on Tyler Technologies eCourt platform. It covers cases filed in all Ventura County courthouses. You can search by case number or party name. Case number searches are free and go directly to the docket. Name searches may return multiple results if the name is common. The system shows case status, filing date, and next court date for each case.

The portal displays the register of actions. This is the main docket sheet. It lists every filing, hearing, motion, and order in chronological order from start to finish. You can see what happened at each stage of the case. Some documents are available for viewing or download. Fees may apply to document access. Check the fee schedule on the portal before you download files. The first few pages might cost one dollar each. Additional pages often drop to a lower rate in Ventura County.

If you cannot find a case online, it may not be in the system yet. New filings take a day or two to appear in the portal. Very old cases may not be digitized. For cases filed before the electronic system launched, you may need to visit a courthouse and search paper records. The clerk can tell you if a case is available online or only in paper format. Call the main court number at 805-654-2611 for help locating cases.

Ventura County Courthouses

The main courthouse is at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura, CA 93009. This facility handles many case types. Other courthouses serve different areas of the county. Each courthouse has a clerk office where you can search for cases and file documents. Public terminals let you search at no charge. You pay when you want printed copies from the clerk office.

The clerk office can help you find a case or file new papers. Staff cannot give legal advice. They can tell you what forms to use and what fees apply. If you need legal help, hire a lawyer or contact a legal aid group. The court website at ventura.courts.ca.gov may list resources for people who cannot afford an attorney in Ventura County.

Parking is available at courthouse locations. Some charge for parking. Arrive early if you have a hearing. Security screening takes time. You must pass through metal detectors and have bags checked. Do not bring weapons, large bags, or prohibited items. The court website lists what you can and cannot bring inside. Plan extra time for security and finding the right courtroom.

Types of Court Dockets

Civil dockets cover lawsuits. These include contract disputes, personal injury cases, property disputes, and business litigation. The docket tracks every step from filing to judgment. You can see when parties filed papers, when hearings occurred, and what the judge ordered. Many civil cases settle before trial. The settlement appears on the docket as a dismissal or stipulated judgment entry.

Criminal dockets list prosecutions for misdemeanors and felonies. Each entry shows the charges, court dates, and outcomes. The docket tells you when arraignment happened, what bail was set, and when the next hearing is. If the defendant took a plea, the docket shows the plea date and sentencing date. Trials appear with jury selection dates, trial dates, and verdict dates. Post-conviction matters like probation hearings also show up on the docket in Ventura County.

Family law dockets handle divorce, custody, support, and restraining orders. These dockets can be long if parties dispute issues. Each motion and hearing appears on the docket. Probate dockets manage estates, conservatorships, and guardianships. Traffic cases generate dockets too. A speeding ticket or other citation creates a case you can look up by citation number or your name. The docket shows your court date and any fines or penalties the judge ordered.

Small claims dockets track disputes under ten thousand dollars. Parties represent themselves. The process moves faster than regular civil court. The docket shows filing date, hearing date, and judgment. Most small claims cases resolve within a few months. The judge hears both sides and makes a ruling. Appeal rights are limited in small claims cases.

Court Docket Fees

Searching at the courthouse is free. Public terminals are available during court hours at no charge. You pay when you need printed copies. The copy fee is fifty cents per page. This is the state standard rate under California Government Code section 70627. Certified copies add a forty dollar certification fee plus the per page charge. You need certified copies for official purposes.

Online searches may have fees. Case number searches are often free. Name searches might cost a few dollars. Document downloads add charges. The portal will tell you the cost before you confirm the download. Some systems cap the total cost per document. Check the fee schedule on the portal before you download multiple files in Ventura County.

If a clerk search takes more than ten minutes, the court can charge a fifteen dollar search fee. This rarely applies to basic case lookups. It might apply if you ask staff to search many years of records or check multiple systems. You can avoid this fee by using the public terminal or online portal first to find the case number before asking the clerk for help.

Appellate Court for Ventura County

Appeals from Ventura County go to the Second District Court of Appeal. This court covers Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties. You can search appellate cases at appellate.courts.ca.gov. The Second District reviews trial court decisions for legal errors. Most cases do not get appealed. Appeals cost money and take many months. Only parties who believe the judge made a serious mistake pursue appeals in Ventura County.

Contact Ventura County Court

The main phone number is 805-654-2611. The court website is ventura.courts.ca.gov. For online portal questions, check the help section on the portal or call the main number. Clerk offices are open weekdays during business hours. Many close from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Check the website or call ahead to confirm hours before you visit in Ventura County.

Major Cities in Ventura County

Ventura County has several cities over 100,000 population. Court dockets for residents of these cities are maintained by the county Superior Court:

Nearby Counties

Ventura County borders these counties: